FSN Reaches 11th Hour Deal In Triangle Area For ACC Package

FSN reached a deal with Time Warner Cable in the Raleigh-Durham, NC, area to carry last night's ACC doubleheader on CNN/SI, which featured GA Tech-Univ. of NC and Clemson-Duke to begin FSN's new national Sunday night ACC package, according to Lucianna Chavez of the Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER. FSN is not available on Time Warner in the area. Until a permanent deal is reached, Time Warner will "preempt regular CNN/SI programming to carry the Sunday ACC games." FSN Dir of Media Relations Tom Chiappetta: "What that basically is is an interim solution. Because we're trying to get a full distribution deal for [the] area and a couple of others in northern [NC] with Comcast Sports Net." Chavez noted the '01-02 ACC TV schedule on the package "includes 18 nationally televised games that will reach an expected 70 million homes through FSN." While FSN and Comcast are still working on a "permanent distribution deal," without one, the Sunday ACC package is "without a permanent home" (NEWS & OBSERVER, 12/2). In Charlotte, Mark Washburn reported ACC games on FSN will have a "well-known alumnus doing color commentary," and last night's GA Tech-UNC game featured former UNC G Phil Ford. Meanwhile, Coordinating Producer Roy Hamilton, a former UCLA player, said, "One of our approaches is to cover the action a little lower and more intimately" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 12/2).